


About Ceremonies

by twilightstarr



Series: Building New Memories [6]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Arospec apprentice, Background Nadia/Portia, Dancing, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nonbinary Apprentice (The Arcana), Other, Polyamory, Queerplatonic apprentice & asra, Very slight Dom/Sub undertones, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:34:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26398747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twilightstarr/pseuds/twilightstarr
Summary: Amaranth, Asra and Julian talk about marriage and come up with an unconventional idea.
Relationships: Apprentice & Asra (The Arcana), Apprentice/Asra/Julian Devorak
Series: Building New Memories [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798564
Kudos: 15





	About Ceremonies

**Author's Note:**

> For day 6 of enby apprentice week 2020, though I didn't really follow the spirit of the prompt. Instead I was inspired to make a criticism of amatonormative expectations about marriage.
> 
> In my Vesuvia, polyamory isn't frowned upon, and multiple marriages are legal.

The room shone with white and gold. Joyful music and merry voices floated through the air. Amaranth sat at a table draped with a silky white cloth they were afraid to mar and a plate of fruits, some kind of fancy cheese, and some kind of fancy wine, with Asra and Julian on either side of them.

Julian was in an unusually mellow mood for a party, observing the dancers, particularly Portia and Nadia, radiant and smiling lovingly at each other. He'd cried during the ceremony. "So, um, hypothetically, what would you two want your own wedding to be like?" Julian asked. 

Oh. Somehow, the thought of marrying Julian had not occurred to Amaranth until this very instant. They set a grape down, stomach suddenly squirming with unease. 

"Well, Nadia's decorating isn't bad, but I'd want to do something a bit more colorful. Maybe some magic rainbow lights? And some other fun little tricks. There are a few from the last masquerade I'd like to try out. A bit smaller too. Hopefully Muriel would come." 

"That sounds fun. Would you wear a dress or a suit? Or something else?" 

"Ha, you think I know how I'll feel that day?" 

"Fair enough," Julian chuckled. "What about you, Amma?" 

"Umm… well… I hadn't really thought about it." 

"Not at all?"

"I didn't think I was ever going to fall in love." 

"Oh, right. Well, that's alright. You have time to think about it. I don't mean to rush you--I mean, um, not that I was _necessarily_ talking about us! But that's not to say that I _wouldn't_ … uh…" 

"Ilya, it's obvious you were thinking about us," Asra giggled. 

This assurance only turned his cheeks redden. "Oh, um, yes, I suppose it was." 

"Hey, Ilya, come dance with me!" 

Julian gratefully accepted the escape from awkwardness and let Portia pull him onto the dancefloor. 

Amaranth let out a breath of relief, hoping Julian would forget about the subject by the time they spoke again. 

"You still don't want to get married, do you?" Asra asked. 

"No. I just…" The room was starting to feel too crowded, too loud, oppressive instead of lively. 

"Are you okay?" 

"Can we go somewhere quieter?" 

"Of course." 

Asra took their hand and their way outside and into the garden. Amaranth breathed in the soft fragrance of flowers. The fountain bubbled serenely as they drew near. They felt calm enough now to articulate their thoughts. 

"I thought now that it happened, now that I've actually felt it, everything about 'true love' would make sense, but I still don't get this. I still think the vows are kind of boring and pretentious, and… terrifying." 

"Terrifying?" 

"A room full of people staring at you while you kiss?" Amaranth shuddered. 

"You should tell him. I think as long as you're clear that it's just about what you're comfortable with, and not because you love Ilya any less than he loves you, he won't take it too hard." 

"Do I really, though? How do you know for sure that you really are in love with someone?" 

Asra thought for a moment. "I don't know if I can answer that. We don't all fall in love the same way, you know. Some people would never want their partner to be in love with someone else as well. That doesn't mean our way of loving Ilya is wrong. If calling your relationship romantic has felt right so far, I don't think you need to start doubting it just over this." 

"Well, sometimes I don't catch on when he's trying to flirt with me, and I feel a bit bad?" 

Asra giggled like a mischievous child. "He gets flustered at worst. I'm sure he isn't actually hurt by it." 

Amaranth caught his infectious smile. "I suppose if he didn't want to be flustered all the time, he would have left us by now." 

"Oh yes, we're terrible," he boasted. 

"Okay, I'll talk to him," Amaranth decided, stopping to hug him. "Thanks Asra." 

Asra squeezed back. "Anytime." 

They circled around the fountain and headed back inside. They returned to their table, and after a minute, Julian found them and offered a hand to Amaranth.

They took it easy, for now. It was a moderate melody playing, relaxed without being slow. Amaranth let Julian lead, debating whether or not they should bring it up now.

"You seem a bit tense," he noticed. 

Now it was then. "There's something I should tell you." 

He stumbled a little. He was worried now. "Sorry." 

"It's okay. Julian, I love you, very much, but I don't want to have a wedding. There are just parts of it I'm not comfortable with." 

"Oh Amma, I'm sorry! Since you were comfortable being in a romantic relationship with me, I assumed that if we were serious, eventually... well, I shouldn't have assumed. I'm sorry. I never want to pressure you into anything you--" 

He was fumbling a lot now, so Amaranth took over, turned him into their arms, and held him there for a second. "Okay, Julian, it's okay. Don't beat yourself up."

He took a deep breath. "Okay." 

They turned him out, then pulled him close. "You're getting better at being kind to yourself. I'm proud of you." 

"Um…" he stumbled again, this time flustered, and Amaranth held him steady. "Thanks." 

"Thank you, for understanding." They steered him away from bumping into another pair. 

"What exactly is it about marriage that you aren't comfortable with?" 

"Marriage is okay, as a legal concept. It's the ceremony. It's… the aisle, the vows, not that I don't want to be committed. I do." No, that wasn't quite right. They looked him in the eye. "I _am."_

Julian stole back the lead, swept Amaranth up into his arms, and kissed them before bringing them down. "So am I." 

He was so sweet, so cute, and Amaranth loved him and was so very glad that he hadn't stayed dead. 

"Go on," Julian prompted, guiding them through a swivel. 

"Oh. Right..." Now what had they been talking about before they'd gotten lost in thought? 

"About ceremonies." He helped, but not without a hint of gloating. It was rare that he managed to make Amaranth lose their composure instead of the other way around. 

Amaranth grabbed him roughly by the arm and waist and took the lead back. He gasped and complied. 

"I feel like it's enough for us to come to that consensus on our own. We don't need to make a performance out of our commitment. I feel like it would cheapen it for me. Or maybe I'm afraid of being seen as something I'm not. I don't know." 

"Okay. So what about the party afterwards? No problems there?" 

"No, not really." 

Julian smiled. "Then we could just have a party." 

Amaranth froze, stopping Julian with them. "That's an option?" 

"It's our relationship, my dear. Should we not be free to celebrate it however we like?" 

Nice food, good company, personalized decor and music, the touches of magic Asra had considered, and dancing with him and Julian--that much sounded wonderful. "You're right. I think I'd like that." 

Elated, Julian lifted Amaranth, and they hastily secured their hands on his shoulders as he spun. They were both laughing as they came down into an embrace. 

"Amaranth, I love you." 

"I love you too." 

A new tune started up, faster, and familiar. This was one Amaranth and Julian liked to go all out on. 

"Are you ready?" Amaranth asked. 

"I'm ready if you are." 

"No tables." 

"You're right, the brides would kill us." 

They flew, spun, twisted, showing off every trick they knew. 

Then, as Amaranth turned out from him, someone took their free hand. When they looked, they met Asra's beckoning eyes. Amaranth came to him instead, laughing at Julian's protests. 

For a minute, they danced with Asra. His energy was fresh, and his smile bright. They told him about the idea to have a party without the ceremony, and he was on board. 

Then someone swerved Asra away, dipping him into a kiss he melted into. Julian gave Amaranth a ranting smirk. 

It was _on_ now.

**Author's Note:**

> I headcanon Asra as agenderfluid and let me tell you, having to pre plan what you're going to wear is such a nuisance when you're fluid.


End file.
